Abstract
A thermodynamical model of size-dependent melting (or disordering) of small particles is proposed. By assuming that the mean phonon frequency of the particles varies linearly with the number of defects and surface sites, a simple relation is derived. It allows us to calculate thé variation of the melting temperature with the size of the aprticles. This variation depends on two bulk materials properties: the bulk melting temperature and the energy of formation of intrinsic defects. The theory is in quantitative agreement with experimental data obtained on gold and lead particles. It also permits to understand the instability of small silicon particles.
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